Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has hit out at VAR and the officials that operate it as his side lost 1-0 at Tottenham. Harry Kane scored from the spot in the 26th minute of the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg clash after being scythed down by Kepa Arrizabalaga, with the video assistant referee ruling the England striker had stayed onside in the build-up.
Sarri thought the decision was wrong and said the assistant referee’s actions in stopping running contributed to his players’ belief that an offside would be given against Kane. “From the image from our camera, Kane was offside, clearly offside,” Sarri said. “But it’s not important. I think it’s more important that the linesman stopped the run, he didn’t follow the ball. “So for the players on the pitch, it’s clearly offside. He had a big influence on our defenders.”
In his Sky Sports interview, Sarri then questioned whether English referees were able to use VAR properly. “At the moment I think that English referees are not able to use the system,” he said. “I think they have to study the system. Of course, it’s very strange that in the Premier League there isn’t and in the Carabao Cup there is the system. Strange for us, the players and I think also the referees.”
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